Low Impact Development (LID) Technology for Ultra Urban Areas

Low Impact Development (LID) is an innovative technology, which combines a hydrologically functional site design with pollution prevention measures to compensate for land development impacts on receiving waters. LID is being demonstrated to be very effective for new and urbanizing areas. Some of the fundamental principles of LID technology, specifically the source control approach and the use of micro-scale control techniques have the potential to provide substantial benefits for the stormwater quality retrofits in existing ultra urban areas. This paper summarizes the results of a number of demonstration projects, and introduces a strategic framework for the potential application of LID technology to ultra urban areas. It describes the hydrologic characteristics of ultra urban areas and relates these to identified stormwater management goals and objectives in ultra urban areas. Also potential LID strategies and techniques, which can be applied in these areas, are identified and described.